1. Technical Field
The invention relates to analyzing apparatus and in particular to a drag race analyzing apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to such a drag race analyzing apparatus which automatically and continuously projects an elapsed time in which a vehicle traveling over a racecourse will complete the course, and continuously displays to a driver of the vehicle during a race a difference between the projected elapsed time and a predicted time for the vehicle to complete the course, so that the driver can adjust the speed of the vehicle as needed to approximate the predicted time.
2. Background Information
Bracket-style auto drag racing is a type of drag racing in which the object for the drivers of the competing cars is to complete the racecourse ahead of his/her opponent without having an elapsed time for the race which is faster than the time predicted by the driver before the race. If one of the drivers finishes with an elapsed time faster than his/her predicted time, then that driver has "broken out" and loses the race regardless of his/her finish with respect to the opponent. If both cars happen to break out and finish the race with elapsed times faster than their predicted times, then the driver breaking out the least wins the race, regardless of who crosses the finish line first.
Such drag races typically last only approximately 5-20 seconds and are timed to an accuracy of 0.001 second. Thus, it is extremely difficult if not impossible for a driver, while concentrating on the mechanics of racing the car and the position of the opponent, to discern whether the car is running faster or slower than the predicted time, and by how much.
The closest known prior art to the present invention includes various devices which measure and store data during a race for review after the race, but which do not assist a driver during a race as does my drag race analyzer.
Therefore, the need exists for a drag race analyzing apparatus which automatically and continuously indicates to a driver of a vehicle during a race whether his/her projected elapsed time is faster or slower than a predicted time for completing a racecourse, along with the magnitude of any such difference, so that the driver can adjust the speed of the vehicle accordingly during the race to approximate the predicted time.